Edirectory vs Active Directory

Edirectory and active directory are known, reliable online directory platforms. The major difference between them is that edirectory was started by Novell NetWare and is operable on multiple platforms such as Linux and Solaris, while active directory was created by MicrosoftInc and can only work on windows systems. This difference governs why they do the same work differently. They are each designed to suit the systems compatible with them.

What is a directory?

Directories are very convenient ways of allowing people to access your files, by organizing and separating them according to relevant groups and subgroups for easy reference. Just as the world has slowly shifted from a physically operational world, to a buzzing online world, directories have now shifted from largely sized books to systems that can be found online.

Choosing the one that is good for you would vary depending on your need and preference.

Key considerations when choosing an online directory for your business

Exposure

Will your business be visible on that platform? Will it stand out from competing businesses within the directory?

Quality

Is the site professional?  How easily can you navigate and is it mobile friendly? Is your data seure?

Advertising

Does the directory have a marketing plan that will enable search engine optimization for your business?

Measurability

How many unique visitors does the directory get on average? Where do the visitors come from and how long do they stay on the site?

Differences between edirectory and active directory

Edirectory
Active Directory
Created by Novell NetWare
Created by Microsoft
Works with Windows, Linux, NetWare and Solaris
Only works with Windows
Uses LDAP
Supports LDAP
Great for both small and large businesses
Works better with big businesses
Can manage disk quotas across your enterprise
Works it on a server by server basis
Uses hierarchical database- uses very many relational links from one object to another
Uses a flat database- no two entities can bear the same name.

Winning features of the edirectory

Business Listings

It is easy to create listings with pictures, videos, links, maps and music relevant to the content on your directory. The directory provides layout options that you can choose from to match your aesthetics.

iPhone and Android mobile applications

Edirectory created these mobile applications to enhance ease of use. Since a lot of people use phones to do quick searches on the internet, having a mobile-friendly site is useful. It gives them the convenience of accessing information from anyway via their phones.

Search Engine Optimization Centre

eDirectory’s html link was written for the purpose of Search Engine Optimization. The code is structured to make it easy for search engines to catalogue and understand what is important. This feature enables your business to be amongst the very first searches on Google, Bing or any other search engine.

Easy Navigation

The directory is easy to scroll through because of the proper organization of the sites. The listings act as a guide to what you are looking for. There is also a search bar that enables you to search for what you need and the system will bring relevant, related information.

Membership Directory

There is a membership directory that enables you to create a domain for your members. They can create accounts, which are editable to fit their changing personal information such as telephone numbers or profile pictures.

This feature enables you to put up payment details and links for membership charges.

You can also create membership events that include a calendar and an RSVP section for your members to confirm their attendance.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol Services (LDAP)

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a protocol whose main function is to provide the communication language that programs use when working with other LDAP compliant directory servers.

The edirectory makes use of this protocol to aid with the membership feature. It grants group membership to a user based on attribute values, for example, a manager in an editorial team will be granted membership to an editorial and a managerial group within the domain.

Winning features of the active directory

Domain Services

Stores data and manages communications between its users and the Domain Controllers (DC). This is the primary functionality of Active Directory Domain Services. (AD DS)

Certificate Services

Allows your Domain Controller to create and issue digital certificates, signatures, and public key cryptography.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol Services (LDAP)

AD does not use LDAP but it supports LDAP for cross platform domain services, for example any Linux computers within the network.

Directory Federation Services

Provides Single Sign-On authentication for multiple applications in the same session, so users don’t have to keep signing in repeatedly. You only need to log in once, and you stay logged in until you decide to log out.

Rights Management

Controls rights to information and data access policies. For example, these policies and rights determine whether or not you can access certain files.

Conclusion

If you are looking for one that is good for multiple platforms such as Linux, Solaris or NetWare, then you may consider edirectory. However, if you have Windows software, the better choice may be the active directory.

If you are basing your decision on the other considerations such as search engine optimization and ease of use- multiple reviews have shown that users prefer to use edirectory, stating that it is faster and more reliable. The majority of reviews work in favor of the edirectory

On the other hand, active directory is a favorite for many large companies such as multinational corporations. This is because it has quality group-based management and membership. AD carries out its operations across domain users and many Windows systems, at a large scale.

FAQs

What are the system requirements for edirectory?

You require 1 GB RAM for the software, 300 MB of disk space for the server and 150 MB of disk space for every 50,000 users.

What are the system requirements for Active directory?

You require at least 512 GB RAM and a minimum of 32GB disk space. 

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